dutycovet
he’s not sure whether to be annoyed or amused by her pert comments. clearly she thinks she is funny, but elijah would rather not have to deal with these comments in a classroom setting, with her by his side instead of in a desk. he settles with amused, and levels such a look at her, with just a tinge of condescension, knowing it will only rile her further. after all, why not? he has to pay her back a little for that comment, and he is the superior in this setting. a little condescension isn’t too out of place, especially when it is in jest, though she knows it not.
after a few seconds of that amused, silent look, he shuffles his papers off to the side, and instead pulls a folder out of one of his top drawers. “ if you’re quite finished with that. ” eyebrows lift, the smile on his lips impossibly faint now. “ i thought i might offer you a place in my classroom for the coming term, ” he slides the folder over to her, “ as my teaching assistant. ” within the folder are the boring details: schedule, compensation, duties, etc. however, he is not watching the folder, but her expression, trying to find a hint of which direction she could be leaning. if there is one thing she is not, it is predictable, especially around elijah.
“ that is, if it wouldn’t interfere with your wild studying. ” the smile grows, only a little, imperceptible to one who does not know him well, but there nonetheless. what can he say: that sharp tongue and sharper wit have engaged him in her success since day one.
a stunned silence blankets the office . through his window , sounds of chatter rise up from the quad . gussie leans forward , fingers playing with the edge of the folder -- might as well check the pay . given her current lack of income , it’s certainly an improvement , but there’s some absent piece in this . he has her thoroughly confused , and it grates . she watches him for a beat , curious . ❝ you want me to be your TA ? ❞ she blinks -- once , twice -- ❝ why ? i mean , i was disrespectful as your student . . . insufferable. . . ❞ she knows this because it was , largely , intentional . an irrepressible part of her nature in response to that elite , coiffed condescension .
gussie would be lying if she said she wasn’t tempted -- the pay , of course , but the material , too ; pages of ancient conflicts paving the way to here , to now . . . to the world she is so very fixated on changing . and the impending semester promises to be a dull one , filled with required economics courses , exhausting gen eds . gussie needs this , needs a spark in her mind or she’ll utterly lose it . she’d thrived in mikaelson’s classroom , already predisposed to argument , to the subject matter . but another four months with him ? perhaps she had enjoyed each riff , each moment she’d gotten under his skin , perhaps too much ; but to be contractually obligated to listen and follow his orders ? long hours and late nights of doing his work for him ?











